Carry gun woes, which to pick?

I recently switched from Glock to Walther. The PPS m2 fits my hands much better. It stays put through a whole mag even with the flush base plate, which is my preferred way to carry. Every other subcompact I have shot requires a adjustment of my grip after a few rounds unless I run extended mags.

Just another suggestion that I don't often see made.

I'd call the price affordable too. Mine was something like $350

 

Not voting because your poll is a collection of personal choices (as most are), and that's OK... but my personal choice may not be right for you.

I carry the LC9s (=EC9s) but would still be carrying my SR9c - or similar double stack compact - if my back issues didn't dictate something lighter. Holster carry of any type is painful and the LC9 was the largest and best fit for my hand and shooting style that could be pocket carried. YMMV.

You didn't mention why you are downsizing. Personal preference? Dress style? Health reasons? My personal creed is carry the biggest you can and dress around the gun.

 

I predominantly pocket carry, so for nearly 2 years I carried an LCP, then for 3 years a P938, and staring this year, P365. I highly recommend the P365. Mine has been flawless; looks like SIG is beyond the teething issues. It can be had within your budget, OP.

 

I voted for 43x but carry a Shield9 1.0, if the Glock were available when I was buying it would be my choice.

 

I would recommend either the Glock 43 or Shield 2.0.

Go to the range, shoot both and decide which is best for you. Unless I could talk you into getting revolvers in the mix... SW642?

 

The circle of life is a funny thing.

In my younger days I carried the “biggest / baddest” I could.

Then I got older and went with subcompacts and all the new generation single stacks.

Now I have gotten much older and a fuller size pistol absorbs more recoil for my suddenly emerging delicate fingers, and the longer site picture helps my older eyes to use the sights better.

And after losing 43 lbs - does an extra 10 to 18 OZ.REALLY make it that much harder?

So now I carry a poly frame, strikerfired pistol (several brands) with barrel length between 4” to 5”.

 

Close your eyes and pick one. Then get to the range and start Frequent, diligent training. And I do not mean once a month. I mean weekly. Down the road, you will morph into the gun you want next, or become a very competent shooter with the one you do have. Don't let internet Posters influence you, or what gun is most popular or most advertised. Learn on you own, make friends, share guns and learn them all. Join a club. Have fun.

 

I'd pick the best looking of the lot,
Like choosing a new puppy.
Really. If it looks pleasing to the eye, odds are you'll be more apt to carry it and practice with it.
Unless there is something really dreadful about it.
But you won't know that until you've spent some time with 'er

 

I voted Ruger EC9 because that is close to what I carry in the summer, a LC9s Pro. Other times when I wear tee shirts and shorts I pocket carry a LCP. I want something as light, thin, and small as possible.
In the winter months when a light jacket is worn I add a 4' PPQ and a Les Baer Stinger into the mix.

 

Voting on strictly the list you provided, I went with the Shield. Now if I could slightly modify that list, I'd vote for a 2" LCR. It's more compact and snag free than the 3" LCRx.

 

I put the 3" LCRx on there because I'm already looking at it for other reasons, and I also looked at a s&w airweight too. Want 5 rounds as a minimum, so the revolvers work fine, but I want to be able to deep conceal it, so size is an issue too, not just weight.

Also, forgot to add that I want a gun durable and large enough to train with, which is why I am ruling out a lot of the 380 autos. I don't want to be packing something I've only ran 10 rounds through. I wanna shoot it A LOT, which is why the 9mm is appealing...

 

I'd go to a shop and handle as many of those you listed as you could, see which one feels best to you and go from there.

 

If you REALLY want to put a ton of rounds through this gun, the SIG P938 and P238 should be on your list. Both are quite enjoyable to shoot for their size, having an aluminum frame.

 

I will never understand this mentality. I don't carry a gun because "it looks pleasing to the eye". I carry a gun (most frequently an ugly baby poop green Glock 26) because my life experience has shown me that I just might have to shoot some stupid son of a ***** some day. The last time I had to draw a gun in self defense (an M&P40) I didn't stop to admire the asthetics of the gun.

 

And being concealed means nobody else is admiring the esthetics either which is exactly what the OP is trying to accomplish.

 

But was that your first pistol?
When someone is new to this, just carrying is going to be new and maybe even doubting. Having a gun you like, even though you might not yet know what exactly you like (or need) at least gets you in the game. A gun that is ugly isn't going to do that. Once the OP can appreciate the differences, he may find respect for the ugly gun that he can shoot better (or not) but he'll never get there until he starts shooting and I hazard he'll find a pleasing gun more enjoyable to start with.

 

It's not a beauty contest.
It's a firearm that's the OP is going to be in a very personal relationship with.

 

You need to read the op again.
He is NOT new to shooting or carrying. He wants to buy a smaller pistol.

 

I'm back in the states now (was in Africa) and find myself rotating between 2 guns. A Glock 19 worn OWB under and untucked shirt and my Ruger LC9S Pro carried in a pocket holster.

The LC9S disappears in my old Uncle Mike's size 3 Pocket Holster. I find if I carry my backup mag in the same pocket as the holster and gun that it makes for a square outline that looks like a cell phone instead of a gun. It's hot and I'm wearing Walmart Wrangler cargo shorts and the gun disappears in the pocket.

I am carrying chamber empty. "OH NO - YOU CANT DO THAT... What if...?"

The trigger isn't all that heavy on the Ruger and the soft Uncle Mikes holster doesn't offer a rigid amount of protection to the trigger. The Glock I carry chambered in a rigid belt holster that protects the trigger.

The Ruger is a dime a dozen and disposable. It has no soul. I doubt you'll ever see a LC9S or EC9 Ruger star in a movie. It has no history it's never won 2 world wars. It's cheap, reasonably accurate, compact, and reliable. If it's gets confiscated from use in a defensive situation or the finish gets screwed up, I won't loose any sleep over it.

If the Glock 43X existed when I bought the Ruger, I would've bought that instead. I prefer Glocks but this Ruger does the job.

 

I once asked my wife which gun she thought would be best to pack on a certain trip I thought it would be wise to have something more than a cell phone for protection. She said "line up those you shoot best & then take the one you'll miss least if you should lose it". Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. Since then I have always taken that particular advise into serious consideration when I put a gun in my travel bag. I realize that like children I love all of my guns, but again as hard as it may be to admit some are truly better than others. .

 

Lol, yea I will say it is not heavy. Mine is down to 4lbs of pull and breaks fast. Scary fast. I won't carry the gun. And least not with the safety on. (I have trained for years with a safety, The s so do not want to hear any internet comments like the best safety is the one between your ears nonsense in support of a light trigger without a safety". The safety between my ears say's do not trust it). Over the years, I have come to understand that voice inside me that say's Don't!

 

You need to keep that woman

 

I decided to move to the Sig P365. Only have 250 down the tube but it's been reliable so far. Main issue is I shoot it better than the pistol it replaced.

 

Been some good advice on here, and even though I have been carrying for years, it will help out the noobs reading along. I have packed a desert eagle and a ruger Redhawk concealed, down to a NAA black widow in 22 mag. I really should have kept my polish p64 which used to fill this slot for me, I was incredibly proficient with it, but it was a lot heavier than most of these others I'm looking at. I just saw that psa has the taurus for 199, but I'm not sure I can "pull that trigger" if you know what I mean...